Courage: It's not what people think

Courage is not what people think. There are a hundred cutesy little sayings about having courage, but they often call short. Because courage is about more than facing a fear, it is not about sacrificing to gain. True acts of courage are those where something precious to you is laid down because your eyes are not on temporary comfort or the easy way, but on what is best.

My sister Rose was full of courage this week. She sacrificed a dream she holds dear, becoming a wife and mother. A guy was interested in her, but after some conversations, it became clear that he was not the right one for her. He was nice, and was a Christian, so it would have been so easy for her to justify keeping him. Instead, she had the courage to say that she would accept nothing less then what she was willing to give: her pure self and total commitment.

This was an act of true courage. She sacrificed a dream that she has no way of knowing if she will ever get it back. I can tell her there are other guys out there, that the right one will notice, but that doesn’t mean that it will happen. For all we know this could be sacrificing that dream forever.

As and older sister, I want to be able to rush in and fix everything. To make sure that each of my siblings have an easy time of it. I wish I could carry every pain for them. The hardest thing for me is realizing that I can’t do that. All I can do is pray and hold them tight as they cry.

Having the courage to do what is right, often means sacrifice. However, I firmly believe that the reward for those who have the courage to do so will be richly rewarded, not only in heaven, but also on earth. A life lived doing what is right, courageously, is one that reaps the natural and wonderful benefits of those actions.

What is the most courageous act you have witnessed?